Palestinian Resilience Rewriting History.
With the recenttensed situation in Palestine, the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank are preparing themselves for a series of dreadful nights.
To quickly recap what happened and increase your awareness; the Palestinian struggle started decades ago when the Israeli occupation decided to forcibly deport the Palestinians and uproot them from their homes and steal their land, rights, lives, and dreams.
In 1948 the Palestinian Nakba happened; thousands of Palestinians civilians were murdered, tortured, imprisoned, and kicked out of their homes. They left everything in their houses with the hopes of returning, thinking it would be a couple of days till they return.
Today, the seventh of October 2023, the Palestinian Resistance entered history with a sudden attack against the Israeli occupations, that took them by surprise after the Palestinian fighters ntered their occupied territories around the Gaza Strip by land, sea and sky using very home-made equipments and technology. They have launching more than 2000 rockets within the first 20 minutes of the ongoing operation.
Statistically Speaking
To give you a glimpse of this operation since this morning, here are some statistics to help you comprehend:
- Around 6:30 am local time (03:30 GMT), Hamas initiated a significant rocket barrage into southern Israel, triggering sirens as far as Tel Aviv and Beersheba.
- Hamas claimed the launch of 5,000 rockets in the initial assault, while Israel’s military reported 2,500 rockets fired.
- Residential areas in Israel witnessed billowing smoke, and people sought shelter behind buildings amid sounding sirens.
- Mohammed Deif, the Chief Commander of the al-Qassam Brigades (Hamas’ military wing), declared the start of “Operation Al-Aqsa Flood.” He stated that the first strike targeted enemy positions, airports, and military fortifications, surpassing 5,000 missiles and shells.
- The rockets attack, strategically employed as a diversion, facilitated an unprecedented multi-pronged infiltration by Palestinian fighters. At 7:40 am (04:40 GMT), the Israeli military reported that Palestinian gunmen had successfully crossed into Israel.
- The majority of the infiltrators entered through breaches in security barriers that separates Gaza and Israel. Notably, multiple Hamas soldiers were on video using a powered parachute to fly over the border, adding an unconventional element to the incursion. Additionally, a motorboat carrying fighters was observed heading towards Zikim, an Israeli coastal town housing a military base.
- Several visuals depicted the infiltration methods: one video showcased at least six motorcycles carrying fighters crossing through a hole in a metal barrier, while a photograph released by Hamas depicted a bulldozer tearing down a section of the fence.
A Deeper Dive
By 10 am (07:00 GMT), the Israeli military acknowledged that Palestinian fighters had successfully infiltrated three key military installations along the frontier—the Erez border crossing, the Zikim base, and the Gaza division headquarters at Reim. In videos released by Hamas, fighters were seen rushing toward a burning structure near a formidable concrete wall with a watchtower.
The footage suggested that Palestinian fighters had gained control of a section of an Israeli military facility and were engaging in combat from behind a protective wall.
Saleh al-Arouri, deputy chief of Hamas in the occupied West Bank, issued a rallying cry, urging a collective response to the conflict, particularly from resistance fighters in the West Bank. Subsequently, images emerged of captured Israeli military vehicles being driven into Gaza, where they were paraded in a display of triumph.
According to Israeli media reports, individuals armed with weapons reportedly took hostages in Ofakim. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility, asserting that they were holding Israeli soldiers captive. Hamas-affiliated social media accounts shared footage that seemed to depict captives being brought into Gaza. In one video, three young men, dressed in vests, shorts, and flip-flops, were seen being escorted through a security installation with Hebrew writing on the walls. Additional videos showed female captives and Israeli soldiers being pulled from a military vehicle.
The Dreadful Night Ahead
With everything happening, Palestinians are preparing for a night that turns heads grey. With the Israeli occupation starting a series of random attacks targeting civilians, residential buildings, ambulances, and homes. Although our love for life is big, and our dreams are bigger, the Palestinians are more than prepared to sacrifice all to Palestine and the Palestinian cause.
